Leave Nothing but Bubbles

November 24, 2007

Scuba diving is wonderful. When you enter the water, all of your cares and worries seem to disappear. You experience tranquility, a sense of flying, and beauty.The first thing you must do to enjoy this sport is take Scuba lessons from a reputable instructor. They teach you everything you need to know for total enjoyment and safety of the sport. Be sure to use and care for your gear properly. It must always be in perfect condition.Whether you are diving in a lake or the ocean, always dive with a certified Buddy.I took lessons about thirty years ago with my husband and daughter. Bill had friends who were divers and decided to take lessons. We were living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and had a boat, so we took lessons.I was reluctant at first because I was not sure how I would react to being so close to sharks, barracuda, and other sea life. I love to swim and had never been afraid of the ocean, but being down under the water was a different thing altogether.We had great instructors and they made us feel completely at ease. They were never more than a couple of feet away from us when we were in the water.When the class was over and Bill and I were certified, we went diving with some friends who were also certified divers. We had a wonderful time. After a few minutes I felt completely at ease. The water is usually really clear once you get below the current. You feel as though you are in a huge aquarium. The fish will swim around you and come up to you so close you can sometimes touch them. When the sun is bright, the water illuminates all the sea creatures growing in the rocks and ocean bottom.There is a saying among divers “Never take anything from the water but pictures and never leave anything in the water but bubbles.”Nothing tastes better than fresh lobster. When you catch the lobster you must keep it in a special bag attached to your weight belt. Place the lobster in a bucket of sea water when you get back on the boat, because you do not want it to die before you get home. Always make sure you measure the lobster to be sure it is legal before you put it in your bag and be sure it is not a female with eggs attached to her stomach. This is important to keep the lobsters from being over captured and sometimes the police are in boats and just might dive into the water to see what you have caught or come aboard you boat when you get back up on topThere is so much pleasure in Scuba Diving that it is one of the things I have done in my life that I have truly enjoyed. It is also good exercise and teaches you to breathe properly.I have been lucky. I have been diving in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, the Florida Keys, Hawaii, and Spain in the Mediterranean.Give it a try if you can. If you are ever in the Florida Keys or South Florida, some of the dive shops and hotels offer classes where they will take you on a one-time Scuba trip.There is so much pleasure in Scuba Diving that it is one of the things I have done in my life that I have truly enjoyed. It is also good exercise and teaches you to breathe properly.I have been lucky. I have been diving in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, the Florida Keys, Hawaii, and Spain in the Mediterranean.Give it a try if you can. If you are ever in the Florida Keys or South Florida, some of the dive shops and hotels offer classes where they will take you on a one-time Scuba trip.